Transportation Alternatives Launches New Bicycle Parking Service in Partnership with Port Authority Bus Terminal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 2021

Contact: Danny Harris, press@transalt.org, (917) 653-2286



Pilot Program to Accommodate Last-Mile Travel for Bus Commuters, Offer New Amenity to Community and Delivery Workers 

New Low-Cost Parking Service is First at Any Major Manhattan Transit Hub, Addresses Citywide Lack of Secure Public Bicyclist Parking

Pilot Comes on Heels of Transportation Alternatives Report Showing Severe Lack of Secure Bike Parking Across New York City 

 Support from Oonee Will Provide Free Access for Delivery Cyclists

  

Transportation Alternatives and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced today that they will be offering low-cost, secure bicycle parking at the Port Authority Bus Terminal starting April 19 and running through June 18.

The pilot program will provide a new and needed customer amenity to bus commuters, delivery workers, and local residents who are in search of a safe spot to store bicycles as part of their last-mile commute, delivery work, or recreational use.

“New York City has a severe lack of secure bike parking, and we’re stepping up to address this by piloting a solution in the heart of Midtown Manhattan,” said Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “Right now, cycling is more popular than ever, and this pilot will be even more critical as commuters begin returning to the office. We thank our partners, Green Mountain Energy, Oonee, and the Port Authority, for coming together with an innovative solution that will serve our city — especially essential working cyclists — during this ongoing bike boom.”

“The Port Authority is pleased to provide a sustainable commute and peace of mind for cyclists and bus terminal users seeking to have their bikes are secured when not in use,” said Diannae Ehler, Director of Tunnels, Bridges, and Terminals at Port Authority. “The agency continues to advocate for increased travel options and a better customer experience at all of its facilities.”

“Our mission is to bring a comprehensive secure bike parking system to the residents of New York and New Jersey, and this pilot program from Transportation Alternatives and the Port Authority Bus Terminal is a major step forward and we’re delighted to play a role, especially one that supports essential workers,” said Oonee CEO and Founder Shabazz Stuart. “We’re looking forward to working with Transportation Alternatives and other city and state agencies across the region to deliver additional secure bike parking facilities.”

Transportation Alternatives will operate the bike parking service as a two-month-long pilot program with support from the Port Authority, which is providing the secure storage space and a kiosk space free of charge. For a $3 daily fee or $30 monthly fee, cyclists will be able to store their bikes in a secure location within the Midtown bus terminal.

Users will have unlimited access during morning (6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.) and afternoon (3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) peak travel hours through the work week when check-in/check-out service is provided by Transportation Alternatives staff. Users will also receive a free gift of a bicycle light from the organization.

Fees from the service and a sponsorship from Green Mountain Energy will provide funding for the program’s Transportation Alternatives staff. Delivery workers will have free access to the parking service thanks to a sponsorship from Oonee. An estimated 80,000 commercial cyclists work in New York City, many of whom are low-income, immigrants, and people of color. 

Interested users can sign up at transalt.org/pabtbikevalet.
Interested delivery workers can sign up here.

In January, Transportation Alternatives released a report that found secure bicycle parking, similar to a protected bike lane, is critical to encouraging more New Yorkers to travel by bike. The lack of bike parking disproportionately affects lower-income New Yorkers and New Yorkers of color, as they are less likely to ride when bicycle parking is unavailable. This pilot will provide Transportation Alternatives with key learnings on secure bike parking and how such a service can be expanded across the city and at other transit hubs.

Organizations or institutions interested in launching a similar service can visit transalt.org/bikevalet. 

The bike parking pilot at the bus terminal will be the second such service provided at a major Port Authority transit hub. Through a partnership with Oonee, the agency has a 20-bike self-service parking facility at the Journal Square PATH station. The Port Authority is committed to advancing more ways to link communities throughout the bistate region.

In March 2020, the agency opened the first shared-use path on the Goethals Bridge to provide safe and seamless access for bicyclists and pedestrians between communities on Staten Island and Elizabeth, N.J. It also opened a new, wider shared-use path on the Bayonne Bridge in May 2019. An ongoing 10-year rehabilitation and repair project at the George Washington Bridge, Restoring the George, will dramatically upgrade and improve access to the bridge’s two existing shared-use paths.